Combing-machine.



C. E. KNOWLTON.

OOMBING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN 11, 1912.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

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GOMBING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JANJI, 1912.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

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GOMBING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.11.191Z.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

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O. E. KNOWLTON.

GOMBING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JANJI, 1912.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

M4 6 A? awe/whoa THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOfO-LITMQ, WASHINGTON. D. c

UNITED sra'rns PATENT OFFICE- CHARLES E. KNOWLTON, OF NORTH GRAFTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE WI-II'I'IN MACHINE WORKS, OF WHITINS VILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

GOMBING-MACHINE.

Application filed January 11, 1912. Serial No. 670,548.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES E. KisowL TON, of North Grafton, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented the following-described new and useful Improvements in Combing-Machines.

The invention is an improvement in combing machines of the kind in which the fiber is combed in successive tufts or detachments which are pieced together by overlapping and delivered from the machine as a continuous sliver lap, this type 'of machine being generally known as the I-Ieilman type of combers.

The object of the invention is to improve the action of the piecing-motion of such machines and thereby increase the rate of production of combed sliver, also to simplify and improve the mechanical construction and reduce the space occupied by the various driving parts.

More particularly the invention consists in the special application of an epicyclic gear train to produce the intermittent or alternate forward and backward rotation of the piecing-roll shaft, and constitutes a new method of utilizing such a gear train without the use of sliding clutches, brakes or equivalent parts, the use of which prevents attainment of high-speeds.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, I have illustrated one of the several possible forms of embodiment of my invention and which is also the preferred form, and the same is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a front elevation of the drivehead end of a familiar form of Heilman comber, with parts in section, the section being taken in a vertical plane through the upper half of the epicyclic gear train. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a part elevation and part sectional view on line TIL-III of Fig. 2, parts of the epicyclic gear casing and of the internal gear being broken away for clearness of illustration. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line IV-IV of Fig. 2, parts being broken away; and Fig. 5 is a view in eleva tion and on smaller scale of the adjustment plate for the means for oscillating one of the epicyclic elements.

In the above figures, the part designated 1 is the main table girder of the machine which extends throughout the length thereof forming the support for the several combing heads as well as for the drive head, according to the customary construction. The parts of the combing heads are carried on a series of uprights 2, of whichone only appears in the drawings, being shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. These uprights carry the sliver apron 3 and the journals for the lap feedroll shaft 4, the piecingq'oll shaft 5, the nipper cam shaft 6, and the combing cylinder shaft 7, all of which extend the length of the machine, as well as the various other cooperating parts not shown in the drawings, because they are well known to those skilled in this art. The function of the lap feedroll 4 is to advance the uncombed cotton lap into the action of a combing cylinder carried by the combing cylinder shaft 7, and the function of the piecing roll 5, is to cooperate with its adjacent rolls 5 and 5 to detach and piece the combed tufts of the lap and deliver them as a continuous combed sliver onto the sliver apron 3. as will also be well understood. In the performance of its functions the piecing-roll shaft receives an intermittent motion, preferably a motion which consists of about two-thirds of a revolution forward followed by one-third of a revolution backward. The mechanism constituting the present invention is designed to produce such movement in the piccingu'oll, but,

Patented Nov. 17, 1914. i

as will be later observed, is subject to various degrees of modification and control so as to produce any desired relation of forward and backward movements of the said shaft and rolls. The end of the combing cylinder shaft 7, which projects from the combing head through the upright 2, and into the drive-head of the machine, is there jour' naled on an intermediate frame support 11, planted on the table girder, and carries fast upon it the main or index spur gear 8. which is driven by the pinion 9, from the main drive shaft 10, on which are the usual fast and loose pulleys. This drive shaft is journaled at one end in the intermediate frame upright 11. and at the other end on the main standard 12, which formsthe end of the machine. The end of the feed-roll shaft 4, which is likewise extended into the drive head and journaled on the upright 11, carries fast upon it a spur gear 13 meshing with a, spur pinion 14 fast on a short shaft journaled in a bracketlii and carrying a stargaged in the groove of a face cam ed to the upright 11 and the star-wheel is engaged to be rotated intermittently by a pin or pin-wheel 17 mounted on the combing shaft 7 adjacent to the hub of the index wheel 8, of that shaft.

The constant rotation of the index wheel imparted to it by the drive shaft, imparts an intermittent motion to the star-wheel in the obvious manner and thence through the spur gearing just described. to the lap feed roll 4, whereby that roll is actuated and the lap periodically advanced once for each combing cycle or revolution of the shaft 7.

The same frame upright 11 also supports the extended end of the piecing-roll shaft 5 and a spur pinion 18 is applied at the end of this shaft in mesh with the teeth of a large internal gear 19. As shown more plainly in Fig.1, the internal gear 19 is mounted fast on the sleeve hub of a bevel gear 20, which constitutes one of the revoluble gear elements of the epicyclic train above alluded to, to wit one of the terminal elements thereof. The 'sleevehub of this epicyclic gear element is journaled on the sleeve 21 of a spider frame 22, constituting another gear element of the epicyclic train, to wit, the intermediate element, and the sleeve 21 is journaled in the upright 11 and also on the shaft 23 which it surrounds, the latter being also journaled at its end beyond the sleeve inan adjustable bearing block 24 planted on the end standard 12. The remaining gear element of the epicyclic train being the other terminal element thereof, consists of a bevelgear 25 similar in size to the gear element 20, and set-screwed fast to the said shaft 23. in position opposite to said gear as indicated in the figure referred to.

The shaft 23 bears a crank arm 26 at its end, which'is provided with a bowl 27 en- 28, so that by the operation of the said cam, the terminal gear is oscillated back and forth through equal arc's-that is to say, moves as far in one'dir'ection of oscillation as in the other. So far as the cam and cam groove is concerned, as the means for oscillating the gear 25, it will be seen from the further description that any form of mechanical motion capable of properly timed action may be substituted therefor. The spider frame 22 of the intermediate revoluble gear-element of the 'epicvclic train carries a number of intermediate planetary bevel pinions 29. four in number in the present case, all of which are radially arranged with respect to theaxis of the epicyclic train and mesh jointly with the teeth of the two opposing terminal gear elements 20 and 25, the arrangement being such that when the spider frame is stationary the movement ofthe terminal element 25 will produce-movement of the opposite direction in the internal gear wheel 19' and its connected piecing-roll shaft, and

when the terminal element and the spider frame both move at the same time, the movement of the inteInal gear will represent the differential of their said movements, all as may be readily traced out from the figures of the drawings.

-The spider frame, or intermediate element receives an intermittent rotary movement always inthe same direction and independently of the other elements through its sleeve hub 21, from a spur gear 30, keyed to the end of the sleeve hub as shown in Fig. 1. This gear 30, is engaged by a small pinion 31, concentrically fast with a five point star-wheel 32, both mounted on a stud shaft on the upright 11, in'a position for the star wheel to be driven by a'pin-wheel 33 on the same shaft, 6, that bears the cam 28. This cam shaft 6 carries a spur gear 34 and is thereby driven in the direction of the arrow, by an idler 3% (Fig. 3) which is in mesh with the main index gear 8 abovereferred to. p

The design of the pin-wheel and starwheel couple, 33 and 32, may follow the usual construction of this type of gearing, as indicated in Fig. 4:, and it may also be substituted byany other form of intermittent and interlocking gear couple suitable for intermittently driving the gear element 22. provided the same will also lock or hold said element stationary between its driving periods, such function isperformed in the case of a pinand star-wheel couple by the circular lock rim 33 which engages the curved faces 82 of theJstar-wheel.

It will be observed from the relation of the pin-wheel 33 and the cam groove of the cam 28, that the terminal gear element 25 will be in the process: of turning in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 4, as the pinwheel performs its intermittent rotative operat on upon the star-wheel and the intermediate gear element 22 which is actuated thereby, and that the said element will thereby recelve a rotary movement n, the same direction as the element 25'. The pitch of the cam groove however is such that while the elements 22'and 25 are both moving in the same direction the latter moves sufficiently faster than the former to turn the opposite gear element 20 in the reverse direction and to a desired extent, which of course is equiva ent to the difference in such movements. Thei-nternal gear 19 which is fastened to theterm-in-al element 20 thus receives the same motion and im arts the same to the piecing-roll shaft.- The pin-wheel, however, will have completed its operation on the s'tar wheel by the time the cam groove has imparted about one-half'of its oscillation to the element 25, sothat'the next succeeding operation results from the return of the element 25 to formerzposb an, W il th pid r f am is ld atus? A ary. The terminal gear 20, thus receives a rotary movement opposite to that it received before and of greater are, since this movement is caused by the upward throw of the cam without the retarding influence of the rotating spider frame. This motion imparted to the piecing roll shaft through the internal gear, produces the forward motion thereof, the backward motion being; produced in the first described stage of movement in which the said epicyclic elements act differentially upon the internal gear. In the particular case illustrated the design is such that the forward rotation of the internal gear is equal to about 42 degrees, while its reverse is equal to about 94: degrees. It will be understood, however,that these extents of motion and also their relation to the combing cycle are subject to variation by altering the arrangement or relationship of the several gears and the means for actuating the oscillating epicyclic element. Thus I have indicated in Fig. 5 an end view of the cam 28, illustrating that it is concentrically attached to the cam shaft 6 through the flange 35 of a sleeve 36, the latter being the member that is directly keyed to the shaft. By means of the arcuate slot and bolt connections 37, the cam may be angularly shifted with relation to the shaft and hence with relation to the combing cycle and the position of the pin-wheel 33. The pin-wl1eel also, as indicated by the presence of the set screw 38 in its hub, can be similarly shifted in an angular direction, so that the time of operation of the spider element can also be adjusted to the result which is sought to be produced.

While, as above stated, the form of the invention that has just been described is at the present time the preferred form, nevertheless it will be evident 'to those skilled in this art that the ends of the invention may be served by oscillating either one of the epicyclic gear elements not connected with the piecing roll shaft, while holding and iintermittently advancing the other element, as by means of a pin and star wheel or like connection. It will likewise be evident that the said elements may consist of spur gears and pinions instead of bevel gears, and that various other modifications of the form shown may be resorted to without departing from the principle of operation thereof. In the interest of clearness in the drawings above described the parts are not shown in the compact relation of which they are manifestly susceptible, but it will be readily understood that the operating parts can be moved together to take up and occupy the vacant spaces now appearing between them.

I claim i 1. In a combing machine of the kind described, the combination of a piecing-roll shaft, an epicyclic train having one of its revoluble gear elements connected therewith, means for intermittently rotating one of the remaining gear elements of said train and means for imparting oscillating movement to the other remaining element thereof.

In a comber, a. piecing-roll shaft and an internal gear for driving the same, an epicyclictrain having one of its revoluble gear elements connected concentrically to the internal gear, and means for independently and positively driving the other two revoluble gear elements of said train at different speeds.

3. In a comber, a piecing-roll-shaft andmeans for actuating it comprising an epi-: cyclic train one of the revoluble gear elements of which is connected to such shaft, in combination with means for imparting moven'ient to one of the remaining gear elements of the train, and means for simultaneously imparting movement in the same direction to the other of said rcmainingele- .mcnts but at dilierent speeds to produce an opposite rotation in the first mentioned gear element.

4. In a comber, a piecing-roll shaft and means for actuating it comprising an epicyclic train having one of its gear elements connected therewith and provided with meansfor oscillating another of its elements through an are equal in both directions, in combination with means for intermittently rotating the remaining element in one direction.

In a comber, a piecing-roll shaft and means for driving the same comprising an epicyclic train, means for intermittently driving one of the revoluble gear elements of said train in one direction, said means being adapted to lock such element against rotation during the intermissions thereof, in combination with means for oscillating another of its elements, and suitable driving conneci tions from the remaining element to the piecing-roll shaft.

6. In a comber, the combination with the piecing-roll shaft, of an epicyclic train having one of its revoluble gear elements connected therewith, means for intermittently driving one of the other elements of said train, a crank arm connected to the remaining element, and a cam for oscillating the crank arm.

7. In a comber, the combination of the piecing-roll shaft, an epicyclic train, a counter-shaft, means on the counter-shaft for oscillating one of the elements of said train and for intermittently rotating in one direction another of its elements, and suitable driving connections between said piecingroll shaftand the remaining element of the train.

8. In a comber, a piecing-roll shaft and means for actuating the same comprising an epicyclic train having one of its terminal gear elements connected therewith, means for intermittently rotating the intermediate gear element of theitrain and means for cos eillating :the other terminal element thereof.

9. In a comber, .an epicyclic train, a piecing-roll shaft and an internal gear forming a driving connection between the same and a terminal gear element of the train, in combination with a countershaft, an intermittently acting .gear couple driven thereby and connected to one of the other gearelements of the train, means on the countershaft adapted for oscillating the remaining epicycliczelement and means for driving the counter-shaft. I

10. In a comber, the combination of the piecing-roll shaft, anepicyclic train having one of its revoluble gear elements connected therewith, means for intermittently .rotating another gear element of the train, means for oscillating the remaining gear element thereof, the former of said means being timed to operate during the oscillation of the said remaining gear element.

11. In a comber, a piecing-roll shaft, an epicyclic train having one of its gear elements connected therewith, in combination with meansv for intermittently rotating one of the other elements of said train in one direction and means for oscillating the re- ,Cppies ,ofthis ipatentimay be obtained an epicyclic train for operating the same having one, of its gear elements connected thereto, and provided with means vfor independently operating the remaining two gear elements, said means being adapted to rotate said last named elements simultaneously and in the same direction to produce an opposite rotation in the first mentioned gear element.

.13. In acomber, a-piecing-roll shaft and means for actuating the same comprising an ,epicyclic train connected therewith and having separate means for intermittently driving two of its gear elements, said means being relatively adjustable to vary the relation of their driving periods, and operative simultaneously upon their said elements.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this 7 specification in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. KNOXVLTON.

. Witnesses RUTH A. GRAY, OSCAR L. OWEN.

for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner .of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

